Liberty is a modern apple variety, developed for disease resistance - it has very good resistance to scab and good resistance to fireblight and cedar apple rust.
Disease resistant apples usually incorporate Malus floribunda - a crab apple with good resistance to scab - in their pedigree, but not surprisingly sometimes struggle to achieve high quality flavor. Fortunately this is not a problem with Liberty, it has a clean well-balanced flavor, very clearly a McIntosh style apple, via its immediate parent Macoun. It also has the bright white flesh and sweet "vinous" flavor characteristic of "Macs", with perhaps a bit more sharpness. Overall the flavor can be considered first class with no compromise for being disease resistant.
Delivery discounts. Prices are for individual trees excluding delivery. There is no minimum quantity but it is cost effective to order in multiples of 3 trees.
Delivery period: Trees are delivered in March and April. However it is best to order as soon as you can to ensure items are reserved for you. If you live in a warm zone (e.g. Southern California, Alabama etc.) Fall delivery is possible. More details on our spring shipping schedule by state.
*Mature heights: Height shown is the approximate height of the tree when mature (after 5-10 years), not the height when supplied. Actual mature heights may vary considerably dependent on your local conditions and training and pruning regime.
Stock availability: Items showing as 'sold out' will probably be available again next season. If you would like to reserve in advance use our enquiry form - this does not commit you to anything.
Liberty is self-sterile and needs to be pollinated by another tree of a different variety nearby. Since it flowers in the middle of the blossom season it can be pollinated by most other apple trees.
Our online pollination checker lists suitable pollination partners for this variety.
More advice about pollination.
The natural disease resistance make Liberty an excellent garden apple, particularly for fans of McIntosh apples. Liberty trees are fairly vigorous and precocious. The fruitlets will require thinning in most seasons, to avoid a very large crop of very small apples. The apples ripen over a period so you do not have to pick them all at once.
Liberty will grow in most situations, although it is probably better in cooler regions. It is generally a fool-proof and reliable apple.
Planting instructions.
Pruning instructions.
Developed at the Geneva Experimental Station, New York and introduced in 1978. Derived from Macoun.
